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Archive for Asia

Just a bit more than 120 km West of Jakarta we can find Anyer, sometimes also spelled as Anjer. This port is located in Baner which is former West Java in Indonesia. Before it was completely destroyed by tsunami after the eruption of Mount Krakatoa (have seen also Krakatau spelling) in 1883, it used to be a major port in the Dutch colonial era. The Dutch Government then built there the Cikoneng Lighthouse to commemorate the locals killed during the volcano eruption. The lighthouse was the beginning of the Great Post Road going 1,000 km up to the Eastern tip of Java and now the monument is still the main landmark.

Nowadays, Anyer becomes one of the top destinations to visit in Indonesia for holidays. There’s beautiful tropical fish around the island which makes it a perfect place for snorkeling or even scuba diving. And as a bonus, the deep blue sea around is very warm which adds to the pleasant underwater experience.

Tripadvisor states that the best hotel in town is Aston Anyer Beach Hotel (it’s been on the number 1 hotel position in Anyer for longer). So before you start planning your Anyer holidays, check out the best room to stay. It’s always lovely to enjoy excellent location with great private beach view where you can watch stunning sunsets to finish your busy days, right? The hotel guests can also take a swim in the clean pool or just play with kids there.

And what else to do on holidays in Anyer Indonesia except snorkeling? You can always rent a water scooter or an ATV vehicle, have fun on a banana boat or relax on a slower parasailing trip. Want to chill out more avoiding aquatic sports? Then get a beach massage, play volleyball or football on the white sand or simply sunbathe taking a break.

If you are a nature lover, you can go on a trip to the Ujung Kulon National Park not that far from town. It is a protected tropical rainforest where Javan Rhinoceros and other wildlife live. Fingers crossed so you can see some!

I also suggest to check out the local souvenirs, such as ceramics, batiks, silverware, bone carvings, shell ornaments, different baskets or even beach wear.

Beach resorts in Anyer are springing up like mushrooms after the rain – from Karang Bolong in the Nort to Merak in the South. And that’s a good sign. It means that the beach town has a lot to offer to tourists and they recognize its value. Anyer is a popular beach destination also for the Jakartan families and divers.

While there, I recommend also other islands worth visiting around Anyer, such as Krakatua to observe unique volcanic landscape, or Pulau Sangeang ( Sanghyang) with untouched lush jungle and beautiful coral reefs.

This post was written by my online friend Jacob Laukaitis, a 21-year-old digital nomad who’s already been to more than 35 countries in the last almost 3 years. Jacob enjoys making travel videos and sharing them with the world.

Here’s my newest one from my hike in Nikko, Japan:

Nikko is located a few hundred kilometers north of Tokyo. It’s a town next to a national park that’s also called Nikko National Park. The national park is settled on a range of mountains, some of which reach higher than 2,000 m above sea level.

The entrance to the national park is free, but some of the most famous temples and shrines do require you to pay entrance fee. There are many visitor centers where they will assist you on any questions you might have. As everywhere in Japan, they’re incredibly hospitable and helpful.

As most really nice places in Japan, the park is quite crowded especially during the season. The logistics of the park are really nice – there are walkways for people to enjoy the wonderful Nikko trekking trails and they’re extremely beautiful and clean.

The cultural significance of the historic buildings is major. Apparently Nikko has the most lavishly decorated shrine in all of Japan and the mausoleum of the Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.

When I visit sacred places I try to learn about the rituals and practices involved there. I remember when I started traveling around Asia 3 years ago, I would go to dozens of temples and sacred places and I’d learn everything I could about them. However, now I feel like I’ve seen so many temples that it doesn’t look so interesting to learn more about each one’s history or sacred rituals involved.

My trip to Nikko lasted 3 days. I chose to stay at a hostel. It is actually a funny story, since I could only get a bed at my hostel for 2 days and the last day there were literally no hotel rooms available in the town and in the surrounding area (because it was a national holiday in Japan). So I ended up taking the train for 50 kilometers to a bigger city, slept there and woke up 5 am the next morning to continue my daily treks.

I visited Nikko in November. The weather was getting colder day by day as the winter was approaching, but it was still decent during the day time and especially after trekking. At times it was rather hot!

If you’d like to see more of my travels, I post 2 videos a month. I am really thankful for Travel-Ticker for their contribution to this trip.

The Kingdom of Cambodia, as it is officially known, is found in Asia and bordered by the Gulf of Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. With around 15 million citizens it is a moderately sized country that has seen a lot of changes of the years. A Buddhist country, it is best-known for Angkor Wat – a temple that attracts millions of backpacking and standard tourists each and every year.

The temples of Cambodia

Decades of civil war meant that just 12 years ago, the country was almost off the map of travellers. Today, you can’t move without seeing a foreigner and they’re all heading for the big temple, but there are dozens more. From Phnom Chissor in the capital with its beautiful views to Sambor Prei Kuk and the 140 monuments and temples of a 1,400 year old city to Koh Ker, the 10th century lost city, there is so much more to see. But, the largest religious monument in the world and arguable the most important archaeological site in South-East Asia will always rule supreme…

Angkor Wat in Cambodia

Angkor Wat

This World Heritage Site has history and romance in abundance – not to mention grandeur. Some say that it encompasses all the elements of a Pharaoh, the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal thanks to the luxury, impressiveness and beauty seen across the sprawling 500-acre site. Since opening in the 12th century it has always been a place of worship and was initially dedicated to Vishnu. It is believed that this sophisticated piece of architecture was created to be a replica of the universe.

A big question was how the stones used in its building were taken from the sacred Mount Kulen to the temple in such a short timeframe. The Khmer empire was supremely powerful in its day and used canals to aid transportation and there is a network of some 21 miles that connects the two and quarries en-route go to back up this claim.

Taking just 30 years to construct, it was King Suryavarman II who oversaw it and experts feel it was built to be a funerary temple for him. In terms of positioning, the west orientation would symbolise the setting sun – and, thus death – which supports this believe. We have all seen pictures of the area but the unrestored Ta Prohm is easily the most photographed temple here. Known to be one of the favourites is at the Bayon temple where a Bayeux Tapestry-esque tale tells a long story. Widely regarded as a trip of a lifetime the whole thing is enchanting.

Get going

Whether you are on a budget or looking for a stylish package, there are all manner of options to choose from. Try to get to the Angkor Wat early to see the sunrise.